Deep dive into: This weird deep-sea creature was named by thousands of people online

The Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA), working with scientific publisher Pensoft Publishers and well known science YouTuber Ze Frank, invited the public to help name a newly identified deep-sea chiton (a type of marine mollusk). The official scientific description of the species was published today in the open-access Biodiversity Data Journal.

More than 8,000 name ideas were submitted through social media. After reviewing the entries, the research team selected the name Ferreiraella populi. The species name populi is a Latin singular noun in the genitive case meaning "of the people." Interestingly, 11 different participants independently suggested the same name during the online naming effort.

The public naming campaign began after Ze Frank featured the rare deep-sea chiton from the genus Ferreiraella in an episode of his "True Facts" YouTube series.

The animal has eight armored shell plates and an iron-clad radula (a rasping tongue). Near its tail, it also hosts a small group of worms that feed on its excrement. Viewers were invited to submit a proposed scientific name along with a justification. In just one week, the response exceeded 8,000 suggestions.

"We were overwhelmed by the response and the massive number of creative name suggestions!" says Prof. Dr. Julia Sigwart, co-chair of SOSA at the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt. "The name we chose, Ferreiraella populi, translates to "of the people." "

Several other names stood out during the selection process. One was Ferreiraella stellacadens, meaning "Shooting star chiton," inspired by the animal's distinctive aesthete pattern and the way it quickly gained attention. Another suggestion was Fereiraella ohmu, referencing a chiton-like creature from a Studio Ghibli film and offering a nod to Japan, where the species was discovered.

Analysis & Development

The species was first found in 2024 in the Izu-Ogasawara Trench at a depth of 5,500 meters. Ferreiraella populi belongs to the genus Ferreiraella, a rare group of mollusks known for living only on sunken wood in the deep sea.

The discovery adds to a lineage of chitons that has received little scientific attention so far and supports growing evidence that deep-sea wood-fall ecosystems host highly specialized communities that remain largely unknown, explains Sigwart.

Chitons are often described as resembling a mix between a snail and a beetle. Unlike most mollusks that have a single shell, chitons have eight separate shell plates (valves). This structure allows them to curl into a protective ball or cling tightly to uneven surfaces such as deep-sea wood-falls. Chitons live in environments ranging from shallow coastal waters and coral reefs to the deep ocean, where some species survive at depths of up to 7,000 meters in complete darkness.

When a new species is discovered, it is given a formal scientific name as part of its original taxonomic description. This system follows Carl Linnaeus's principle of binomial nomenclature and includes two parts: the genus name (the first part, capitalized and italicized) and the specific epithet (the second part, lowercase and italicized). The name is assigned by the author(s) who publish the first scientific description and must follow international rules such as the ICZN (zoology) or the ICN (botany). Each name must be unique, latinized, and previously unused. Specific epithets are often based on physical traits, locations, mythology, or people honored for their contributions.

Ferreiraella populi highlights the vast biodiversity of the oceans, much of which remains unexplored. Many species disappear before scientists even realize they exist, a problem that is especially pronounced among marine invertebrates, says Sigwart.

Future Impact

"It can often take ten, if not twenty years, for a new species to be studied, scientifically described, named, and published. At SOSA, we have therefore made it our mission to streamline these processes while simultaneously engaging the public with these fascinating creatures. Finding a name for the chiton together on social media is a wonderful opportunity to do just that! Ferreiraella populi has now been described and given a scientific name only two years after its discovery. This is crucial for the conservation of marine diversity, especially in light of the threats it faces such as deep-sea mining!"

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